LAUDATO SI' WEEK 2022 - LAUDATO SI' WEEK CELEBRATION GUIDE - CatholicTT
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LAUDATO SI’
WEEK 2022
C E L E B R A T I O N G U I D E
LAUDATO SI’ WEEK CELEBRATION GUIDE
Laudato Si Week 2022
There are many simple and creative ways “to protect the
earth and to ensure its fruitfulness for coming generations”
(Laudato Si’ 67). Laudato Si’ Week gives us an opportunity to
pause, celebrate, and kick-start new habits to help preserve
and care for our common home. We offer a few practical
ideas you can do at home or in your community.
See the video below and follow the steps to
register your LSW event!
Video: bit.ly/RegisterEventLSW
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Laudato Si Week 2022
Eco-spirituality
1. Plant a contemplation garden 6. Public meditation
May is the perfect time to plant a garden to honor Unite with three or more people in a public place in
Mother Mary while caring for Mother Earth and pro- your city. Carry a sign that says “Live Laudato Si”,
motingbiodiversity. Cultivating a garden with flowers, “Laudato Si’ Week”, or other creation care messages
fruits, and vegetables provides you and your loved you think your community should see.
ones with healthy food and supports the world’s food 7. Laudato Si’ Reading
sources while enriching the soil, cleaning the air, and Have you read the encyclical? Has it been read in
making use of rainwater runoff. Plus, it helps beautify your community? Organize an online or in-person
the world and offers a place of contemplation. People event to read, meditate and act on some passages of
can spend time in the garden listening to what God is Laudato Si’.
saying through nature.
8. Get your copy of the official Laudato Si’
2. Nature walk Movement Prayer Book
Contemplate God’s creation while cultivating physi- The book has prayers for every moment of our li-
cal and spiritual health by incorporating nature walks ves, including prayers for mornings and evenings,
into your routine, be it by yourself or with friends and as well as prayers for special moments, such as pra-
family. yers for justice and prayers for hope and encourage-
ment. Download a free copy & more information:
3. Procession laudatosimovement.org/prayerbook.
Invite your parish community to a procession or walk
through the center of your town. You can walk while 9. Start your own Laudato Si’ Circle
praying, singing, making noise, and/or carrying signs Laudato Si’ Circles are small groups that meet re-
with slogans about bringing Laudato Si’ to life and the gularly to deepen their relationship with God as
need to care for our common home. Creator and all members of creation. Together, they
pray with and for creation, reflect on their ongoing
4. Say Grace ecological conversion, and take action.
Thank God for the gifts of creation by saying Grace
before and after meals, making this gratitude a daily 10. Enroll in our five-week contemplation
and consistent part of life. It orients us in relation to training
the Creator as recipients of God’s blessings. Consider Laudato Si’ Movement’s Contemplation Training
celebrating the annual World Day of Prayer for the aims to help individuals and communities to beco-
Care of Creation on September 1 and marking your me familiar with contemplation and deepen their
calendar for the SeasonofCreation, the annual celebra- practice. “This contemplation of creation allows
tion of prayer and action that’s celebrated by Chris- us to discover in each thing a teaching which God
tians worldwide from September 1 to October 4. wishes to hand on to us, since “for the believer, to
contemplate creation is to hear a message, to listen
5. Prayer gathering to a paradoxical and silent voice” (LS 85).
Organize a Rosary for Creation or a prayer gathering.
You can also simply get together and sing some songs.
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Laudato Si Week 2022
Lifestyle
1. Join the Laudato Si’ Action Platform
4. Opt for reusable shopping bags
Caring for creation means caring for the home we sha-
re. This responsibility is “essential to a life of virtue” (LS According to EarthDay.org, an estimated four
217). The Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral trillion plastic bags are used each year worldwide.
Human Development’s Laudato Si’ Action Platform is a Keeping a few reusable bags handy to take to the
space for institutions, communities, and families to learn grocery store helps cut back on plastic use and
and grow together in the holistic spirit of integral ecolo- keeps bags out of landfills.
gy. All are invited to join this community, as “everyone’s
talents and involvement are needed to redress the dama- 5. Meatless Mondays
ge caused by human abuse of God’s creation” (LS 14). Join the Meatless Monday campaign. This helpful
website, among others, offers plant-based recipes
2. Make “seed bombs” and guides to help you implement Meatless Mon-
day in your school, hospital, workplace, and com-
Whether it’s a plant pot, flowerbed, wild patch in your munity. Try going one step further and make meat-
lawn, or an entire meadow, sowing wildflowers provides less Fridays a part of the whole year, as opposed to
vital resources to support a wide range of insects that something you do just during Lent. Fasting from
wouldn’t otherwise survive in urban areas. Going for a meat benefits your health and helps the environ-
walk and throwing them, or digging “seed bombs” into ment by cutting back on greenhouse gasses.
your garden is a great way to spend an afternoon! How
to make a seed bomb. 6. Enjoy your leftovers
3. Organize or participate in a clean-up About 17 percent of global food production may go
wasted, according to the United Nations Environ-
Whether it’s a big group event or a solo clean-up, you can ment Programme’s (UNEP) Food Waste Index Re-
get involved anywhere. Plan your own, or find/register port 2021, and estimates suggest that 8-10 percent
one at The Great Global Cleanup® , which is a worldwide of global greenhouse gas emissions are associated
campaign to remove billions of pieces of trash from with unconsumed food. To cut back on food was-
neighborhoods, beaches, rivers, lakes, trails, and parks. te, learn to love leftovers and creatively give them a
It’s vital that we reduce waste and plastic pollution, new life! More: 15 quick tips on how to reduce food
improve habitats, and prevent harm to all members of waste.
God’s creation.
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Laudato Si Week 2022
7. Compost
Start composting to use those leftovers you can’t are released into air and water sources. Switch to
consume. While diverting food from landfills, natural products, or learn to make your own by using
composting helps enrich soil, promotes plant growth, household ingredients like baking soda, essential oils,
filters and uses rainwater, and decreases greenhouse lemon juice, and vinegar. *Make your own cleaning
gasses. You can compost anywhere! Proof:Everything products
you need to know about composting in an apartment.
10. Shop second-hand
8. Frequent your local farmers market Shopping second-hand helps keep items out of
Supporting a local farmers market is a delicious way landfills and conserves water. It’s also a creative way
to support and preserve God’s creation, especially to care for the environment. Plus, it is easier to find
farmers and artisans in your community. It also classic, sustainable, and unique thrifted pieces rather
reduces transportation pollution and cuts back than relying on the fashion industry that pushes
on trash and plastic bag usage, since produce is cheap and ever-changing fads. You could also start a
minimally packaged. swap-circle with your closest friends!
* Do-It-Yourself (DIY) gifts
9. The dishwasher is your friend Be a hit at any birthday party by making your own
Hand-washing dishes uses over two gallons of water unique gifts. Be sure to include your family in
per minute. If possible, use a dishwasher, which only the gift-making fun! These wallets are a personal
uses 2-8 gallons per entire cycle. You’ll also save time favorite–you only need a pair of scissors and a drink
and have one less chore to do! carton. *Other gift ideas
*Use natural cleaning products
Substitute chemical household cleaning products
for natural ones. Chemical cleaning products pose
health risks and impact the environment as they
5Laudato Si Week 2022
Advocacy
1. Bell ringing for climate justice 5. Contact local/international figures
Ask your pastor to ring the church bells for that can make an exponential impact
three minutes for the victims of the climate on the future of our common home.
crisis and as a wake-up call for your entire See suggested templates in the resources section of
community to advocate for the most vulnerable the Healthy Planet, Healthy People petition website
members of God’s creation. and below:
• Send an email to the the head of COP15 to set
2. Blackout for creation more ambitious goals in the next biodiversity
On a certain day and time in the evening, have framework
everyone on your street turn off the lights in • Send a letter to your local priest to share a
their homes to work together to help save God’s message on care for creation
creation and unite in solidarity for a cleaner • Send a letter to your department of environment
and more resilient future for all. to commit to more ambitious actions at COP15
3. Mass for Creation
6. Divest from fossil fuels
Talk to your pastor about having one of • Commit to divesting from fossil fuels
the week’s Masses dedicated to praying for • Endorse the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation
the victims of the climate crisis, the loss of Treaty: A global initiative to phase out fossil
biodiversity, giving thanks to the Creator for fuels and support a just transition.
the gifts we have been given, or for all of these. • Send a letter to your pastor, bishop, diocese,
archidiocese, Catholic University, Catholic
4. Sign & promote the Healthy • healthcare institution about divestment
Planet, Healthy People Petition • Ask your country’s leaders and Bishops to
The Healthy Planet, Healthy People Petition say “no” to gas and nuclear energy in the EU
is one of the many ways to work against the Taxonomy: Fill in the form in Laudato Si’
biodiversity crisis and the climate emergency. Movement’s EU Taxonomy Delegated Act
Statement
This year, at the United Nations Biodiversity 7. Learn more about biodiversity in your area
Conference later, world leaders can set Everything is connected. Find out about how
meaningful targets to protect creation. Ahead you can do your small part and help bring back
of that vital meeting, it is our responsibility biodiversity: Why everyone should care about
as Catholics to lift up the voices of the most biodiversity loss.
vulnerable and advocate on their behalf. We
must act now. Sign the petition.
6Laudato Si Week 2022
8. Get involved in our regional advocacy campaigns
Find out how you can help us gain momentum with our regional
work. Whether it’s our work with the East African Crude Oil
Pipeline (EACOP), the Amazon or the Philippines, there is
always plenty to be done!
9. Commit to leading your community to care for
creation by signing up to become a Laudato Si’
Animator.
This free leadership development course will empower you
to bring Laudato Si’ to life. Join a community of like-minded
leaders around the world, all of whom are committed to leading
their communities in transformation action for our common
home.
10. Webinars
Webinars are a great way to connect people from all corners
of the globe and discuss important issues like the climate and
biodiversity crises and fossil fuels. Here are a few other examples:
-Recycling: How to recycle the waste we produce? If there is
someone in your community with experience in waste recycling,
invite him or her to give a talk or workshop and invite your
community to participate.
-Community or urban garden festival: Connect online to
showcase community and personal gardens, share tips and
techniques, encourage teamwork and inspire others to grow
their own food.
7You can also read
